NBA Free Agents 2011: The 5 Best Scorers on the Market

What is a scorer? To me, it's as simple as this: a guy who can make the scoreboard operator's life difficult.

With the lockout ending, there are many players available who could help out teams who need just one piece to get over the top. These players are very diverse: there are both big men and guards, shooters and slashers, perimeter and post scorers.

All of these guys are players who have either made a living putting the rock in the bucket or have more potential to do so.

David West

For the last few years, David West has made a living as Chris Paul's partner in crime, and he is now ready to make it on his own.

West is known around the league for his deadliness either on the pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop. He has the ability to either finish around the rim on the roll, or to pop and kill with the mid-range jumper. He has also shown some ability to post up and finish around the basket. 

The big concern with West is his health. Last season, he tore his ACL and missed a good chunk of the season. It remains to be seen whether teams will trust him after such a devastating injury, but he could end up being a great value signing for a team in need of a post presence.

Jason Richardson

While Jason Richardson is not the player that he was a few years ago, he still has a lot of basketball left to play. 

Richardson last year in Orlando was utilized most effectively as a shooter playing off of Dwight Howard, but don't let that fool you. J-Rich is also adept at putting the ball on the floor and attacking the basket, even if it's not quite to the extent that he could a few years ago.

The big concern about Richardson would be his age, but he's still a guy who will be able to hit the long-range jumper with the best of them for a few more years. Richardson could find value on a team either as a dynamic scorer off the bench, or a complementary scorer in the starting lineup.

Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford has established himself as one of the great scorers in league history, including being the only player in NBA history to score 50 points for three different teams.

Crawford has made a living in the NBA as a prolific scorer, averaging over 15 points per game for his career, including a season of over 20 points per game in 2008. He has the ability to really put up huge numbers when he gets going, and he is a guy who needs to be guarded all over the court because he can score from almost anywhere on the floor.

The major concerns teams may have is Crawford's age, and his tendency to launch shots. While his gunning often stalls the offense and doesn't get his teammates involved, that's something that you have to learn to accept if Crawford is on your team.

However, if a team can get him on a shorter-term deal, Crawford could be a very valuable scorer, especially if he is not overpaid and if he comes off the bench.

J.R. Smith

Other than maybe Jamal Crawford, J.R. Smith is one of the purest scorers on the market. He has all the abilities to be an elite player in this league.

Smith can score in all sorts of ways. He has the athleticism to take players off the dribble, he has a jump shot that he can hit both off the dribble and off a spot-up, and he has the athleticism to force issues for the other team on defense.

The question, as it always has been, is where his head is. While Smith has all the tools to be a top-notch shooting guard in the league, he's always been held back by his shot selection, dedication to defense and commitment to team play. His stretch in China has not helped his case at all, as he has been accused of faking an injury; that's not what you want to hear from a guy with supposed character issues.

However despite all the concerns, Smith is a guy who could excel on any team as a scorer if he is able to get out of his Chinese contract.

Nene

Nene is not a prototypical type of scorer; he definitely isn't a guy who you throw the ball down to and rely on him scoring. However, he is a guy who still gets his numbers.

Nene averaged over 14 points a game last season, and has averaged over 12 for his career. However, what he is really known for is his incredible field-goal percentages to get his points. Last year, he led the league in field-goal percentage with a 61.5 percent clip.

Nene manages to get his points by virtue of putting himself in the right place and his great fundamentals. He also has shown the ability to hit a solid mid-range jump shot.

The best place for Nene to maximize his potential is to go to a solid team and play next to either a star or a plethora of solid players, and that could mean he should stay in Denver.